Kołaczki are small folded cookies filled with fruit preserves, poppy seed paste, or sweet cheese — a Polish holiday and wedding cookie.
Kołaczki (also spelled kolaczki) have been made in Poland since at least the 18th century. The name comes from 'koło' (wheel/circle), referring to the original round shape. They are associated with weddings (Polish 'koło' traditions) and Christmas. Similar cookies exist across Central Europe.
A small, square cookie with pinched corners and a dollop of bright filling in the center — perhaps raspberry red or poppy seed black. The pastry is tender and crumbly, the filling sweet and intense. One bite, and it's gone.
The dough uses cream cheese (or twaróg) as the fat source — this gives a tender, slightly tangy crust that melts in the mouth. The dough must be chilled before shaping (warm dough is too soft to fold). The filling is pre-cooked (raw jam would bubble out during baking).
Variations
Fillings: apricot, raspberry, poppy seed, walnut, or sweet cheese; dusted with powdered sugar.
On the Palate
Where Kołaczki sits in the Polish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 12
How it's made
6 steps · 1 hour active + 30 min waiting
- 160 min
Make dough: flour + butter + cream cheese; chill 1 hour.
Watch outChill the dough until firm — warm cream-cheese dough is too soft to fold and won't hold the shape.
- 210 min
Roll thin; cut into squares (~7cm).
- 310 min
Place a teaspoon of filling in center of each square.
- 410 min
Fold two opposite corners to center; pinch to seal.
Watch outPinch the folded corners together firmly; if the seal is loose the filling weeps out and the corners spring open in the oven.
- 515 min
Bake at 180°C for 12-15 min until golden.
- 61 min
Cool; dust with powdered sugar.
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